Thread: Adding a maint. division to existing company

Thanks guys, I agree with most of what mowmoney said and kris thanks for the encouragement.

I think for now it would be wise to concentrate on existing divisions and make sure they are as efficient as possible. Any time I start thinking like this, about adding on, some of the other suffers. Maybe it would be best to try and add to my database doing the same stuff. Another idea kicked around by a few of us here is service contracts for irrigation, maybe that would satisfy my desires to have regular monthly clients. Probably not monthly but 3 times per year, but you know what I mean.

Why run to mowing? Everyone who wants a steady billing cycle runs to mowing. It seems to me that you are doing something that is more specialized and possibly has fewer competitors. Why not try to expand within your realm? Everyone has a mower in the trunk these days and it seems like easy money, but these days with mowing you need to run a very tight ship, which means a lot of your time involved. A month or two of "taking it easy" as far as babysitting the mowing could be very bad. Your people invilved will make or break you. Is there something else closer to irrigation that you could do?

Tony - Looks like you have 2 goals. Make more money and even the cash flow. I still think you have lots of opportunity to fatten the exisiting irrigation with things we talked about before.

We still haven't come up with good service plan ideas yet and I want to do that. In your case without the seasonality that we have maybe you could sell them gradually over a period of time so that so many would renew each month or quarter. Maybe monthly would be good because you could follow up mailings with phone calls and bug the crap out of them till they sign up. Monthly would give you manageable service plan sales goals and you could always be trying to beat the previous month.

You are right, just seems natural to run to mowing as a montly add on. I have figured on expanding the irrigation and installs as well.

Harold, thanks buddy! The truth is, I want to believe the service agreement thing can work, but with your blow outs etc. You are in a much better position than I am. My folks believe in the " if it aint broke, why check it" thing. Some don't but a vast majority do. Unfortunately. I need a hook!!!!

Check my latest thread about referral/repeat biz versus advertising, see if you can help there! Thanks again guys, I think you are now my new board of directors!!!